I have a brain fart that the medical community calls an Arnold Chiari Malformation. After decompression surgery in 2006, my brain is learning to coexist peacefully with my spinal cord in the cramped quarters of my spinal canal. With a real hole in my head, I am now free to continue the pursuit of life, liberty, and good coffee -- between headaches, nausea, dizziness, and seizures, of course!

I've had a song running through my head for a couple of days now. It just kind of emerged from the fog that lives in my head when I haven't had enough sleep. Where I heard the song before, I honestly can't say. Why I remember only the "hallelujah" part, I have no clue. Thank God for YouTube in cases like this one! All I had to do was type in the one word I remembered from the song and like magic, video connections to it filled my screen.

The lyrics are quite fascinating for someone whose career has been built around analyzing words, images, and symbols for deeper meaning. Once I get fully settled into a comfortable rhythm for the semester, I fully intend to play around with them to see what I can come up with.

So, what is this mystery song that has haunted my head? It's Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," and I've chosen my favorite performance of it to share with you. Enjoy!

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Anita Van Cise Willett, 1939-1976

Address in the Stars

I stumbled across your old picture todayI could barely breatheThe moment stopped me coldGrabbed me like a thiefI dialed your numberBut you wouldn't be thereI knew the whole timeBut it's still not fairI just wanted to hear your voiceI just needed to hear your voice

What do I do with all I need to say?So much I want to tell you every dayOh it breaks my heartI cry these tears in the darkI write these letters to youBut they get lost in the blue'Cause there's no address in the stars

Now I'm driving through the pitch black darkI'm screaming at the sky cause it hurts so badEverybody tells me all I need is timeThen the morning rolls in and it hits me againAnd that ain't nothing but a lie

What do I do with all I need to say?So much I want to tell you every dayOh it breaks my heartI cry these tears in the darkI write these letters to youbut they get lost in the blue'Cause there's no address in the stars

Without you here with me I don't know what to doI'd give anything just to talk to youOh it breaks my heartOh it breaks my heartAll I can do is write these letters to youBut there's no address in the stars